Cyclist punched motorist in road rage attack

[Alien8]

Friday 8 January 2010

Cyclist punched motorist in road rage attack

A cyclist launched a double road rage attack on a motorist – punching him repeatedly before hurling his bike through the windscreen.

The drama happened in Swavesey after the cyclist cut in front of the driver of a blue Subaru Legacy forcing him to brake suddenly.

They had an argument and the cyclist punched the driver and rode off.

The motorist then searched for his attacker through the village and found him 10 minutes later in Market Street.

The road rage incident escalated further and the cyclist used his bike to smash the windscreen.

A police spokeswoman said: "We were called following reports that the cyclist cut out in front of the car which forced the driver to brake suddenly. The driver got out of the car and there was an altercation during which the driver was punched in the face by the cyclist.

"The cyclist rode off and the driver headed to where he believed the cyclist lived. There was a second altercation ten minutes later after the driver spotted the cyclist with another cyclist in Market Street.

"He parked up and again the cyclist punched the man, this time twice. The cyclist also picked up his bike and threw it through the car windscreen. The two cyclists then rode off."

Police in Cambridge have taken a zero-tolerance approach to aggressive cyclists in the city and surrounding villages by launching a crackdown on anti-social cyclists.

Officers in the city target cyclists who flout traffic laws, including riding without lights, using pavements and running traffic lights.

Police are appealing for information about the attacks in Swavesey which happened between 6pm and 6.16pm on January 4.

The cyclist is described as white, 16-20 years old with short dark hair.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Parkside police station on 0345 456 4564.

I wonder if Cambridge police classify hurling your bike through a car windscreen as "anti-social" cycling?

 

[Bman]

Um ok....

So the cyclist threw his bike though a windscreen, duplicated himself (and bike?) then rode off?!

Somethings not right here.....

 

[steve52]

these sound like thugs with bikes not cyclist, but just as some of us tar all drivers with the same brush so we all get a bit of tar from this

 

[Theseus]

Um ok....

So the cyclist threw his bike though a windscreen, duplicated himself (and bike?) then rode off?!

Somethings not right here.....

"The cyclist rode off and the driver headed to where he believed the cyclist lived. There was a second altercation ten minutes later after the driver spotted the cyclist with another cyclist in Market Street.

Seems to me like he met a mate and they rode into the sunset together

 

[Cab]

So... The cyclist hit the guy, who knew where the cyclist lived, followed him back there to continue the fight, found the cyclist and his mate, the cyclist threw the bike through his wind screen and then rode off?

Can't be a complete story.

But its enough to reflect very badly on all concerned.

Incidentally, the comment there about Police in Cambridge having a zero tolerance policy for antisocial cycling is true. Drive how you like, as far as I can see, but don't let plod catch you misbehaving on a bike...

 

[semislickstick]

Sounds a bit one sided. He followed the cyclist for a bit more?

Why isn't there zero tolerance to bad driving attitudes towards cyclists? It generally seems like auto blame on cyclists, I don't agree with punching someone, but I'd like to think there is a bit more to this story.

You can't punch a driver if they are in their car....sounds like he got out of it, why would you do that?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Sounds a bit one sided. He followed the cyclist for a bit more?

Why isn't there zero tolerance to bad driving attitudes towards cyclists? It generally seems like auto blame on cyclists, I don't agree with punching someone, but I'd like to think there is a bit more to this story.

You can't punch a driver if they are in their car....sounds like he got out of it, why would you do that?

You can if they open the window. Look, don't try and excuse this bloke just because he's a cyclist. However the police behave towards cyclists, this guy is an aggressive self-gratification artist who is bang out of order, from what I can see. Whatever the actions of the car driver and his motivation for following the cyclist, there's no excuse for behaviour like that.

 

[semislickstick]

You can if they open the window. Look, don't try and excuse this bloke just because he's a cyclist. However the police behave towards cyclists, this guy is an aggressive self-gratification artist who is bang out of order, from what I can see. Whatever the actions of the car driver and his motivation for following the cyclist, there's no excuse for behaviour like that.

Self defence?

I'm wary of how these things get reported, and I wasn't defending violence, I said that already.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

The drama happened in Swavesey after the cyclist cut in front of the driver of a blue Subaru Legacy forcing him to brake suddenly.

They had an argument and the cyclist punched the driver and rode off.

The motorist then searched for his attacker through the village and found him 10 minutes later in Market Street.

The road rage incident escalated further and the cyclist used his bike to smash the windscreen.

While the second incident might possibly be self defence, the first sounds like something the cyclist initiated. While I agree with you that we don't know all the facts and that it may be an example of biased reporting, it sounds very much like a situation I managed to avoid in getrting on for fifteen years of urban rush hour cycle commuting. Why would you react to someone remonstrating with you for carving them up by throwing a punch at them? he sounds like exactly the sort of bloke that gives everyone else a reason to dislike cyclists.

 

[amaferanga]

How easy would it be to throw a bike through a car windscreen?

 

[hackbike 666]

What does the moton think is going to happen if he follows this thing up?
The bloke he tracked down is going to present him with a bunch of flowers?

 

[Rhythm Thief]

What does the moton think is going to happen if he follows this thing up?
The bloke he tracked down is going to present him with a bunch of flowers?

Now, you wouldn't be coming out with that if the positions of the car driver and the cyclist in the OP had been reversed, would you?

 

[wafflycat]

If it really is as reported, I hope the cyclist is found and prosecuted.

But, knowing how cycling is reported in Cambridge and having had experience of Cambs plod attitude to cyclists & motorists where the motorist was clearly in the wrong and the cyclist was told by plod "you're a cyclist, what do you expect if you cycle on the road" and no action at all being taken against the driver, my gut tells me there is more to this than reported.

But I accept I may be entirely wrong on this occasion and if it is as reported, I do hope the cyclist is found & prosecuted.

 

[semislickstick]

....It's the Cambridge evening news group, you only have to read the comments under it to see the target audience.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=475385

I suspect it wouldn't be news if it was the other way around, the attitude would be that the cyclist did something to deserve it.

 

[gaz]

this can't be the full storry. i never believe this crap thats in the news. video or stfu is what i say